Search - Fantini, Corelli, Perkins :: Italian Baroque Trumpet Music

Very Nice Snapshot of Musical Moment

B. Marold | Bethlehem, PA United States | 01/21/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"'Italian Baroque Trumpet Music' performed by The Parley of Instruments is exactly the kind of recording Hyperion does so well, with expert performances by small groups focusing on a very specific style and period of music.



To those unfamiliar with The Parlay of Instruments, I should warn you that while the trumpet is the star, this is not all trumpet solo music. Nine (9) of the thirteen (13) ensemble members are playing a bowed instrument, one is playing a reed woodwind (bassoon), one is playing a harpsicord, and two are playing other wind instruments, a trombone and a theorbo.



None of the pieces are by well-known composers. I simply recognize none of the composers' names. No Vivaldi or Montiverdi here!



The primary historical interest of the pieces lie in the fact that they were composed when the trumpet was making the transition from being a musical court megaphone with no keys and tuned to a single octave to an instrument with keys which could span at least three different keys.



All the pieces are entirely enjoyable and well worth the time of anyone interested in some of the more remote corners of classical music."